198. How to Lead a Team People Actually Want to Work For | UpFlip Podcast
This isn't a story about shortcuts. Brian’s big break didn’t come from an investor pitch; it was earned through years of hard work in a coffee shop. When his boss and future partner faced a crisis, Brian’s loyalty and commitment proved more valuable than any business plan. He was offered a co-founder position not because of what he had or because of his entrepreneurship experience, but because of who he is - someone with high integrity and capable of bringing out the best in others when it matters most.
That same principle is now the backbone of his restaurant, Bird Bird Biscuits, and its incredible company culture. In this episode, Ryan Atkinson and Brian dive deep into what it takes to build a team that genuinely cares. Brian shares his business leadership philosophy of "tending the garden"—nurturing his people while actively pruning bad habits—and gives a masterclass on creating a positive work environment that reduces turnover and drives success. Tune in for an honest conversation about servant leadership and how to build a business where your team is proud to show up.
Takeaways:
- Enter markets that are not saturated. Finding an underserved niche, like biscuit sandwiches in a taco-dominated city, provides a significant competitive advantage.
- Live or die by focus and simplicity." Instead of offering a wide range of products, concentrate on perfecting one thing to build a strong reputation.
- The most powerful marketing is a product and experience so good that customers become your biggest advocates through word-of-mouth.
- Company culture starts at the top. Leaders must personally live the values they preach, as their actions set the true standard for the entire team.
- View your culture as a garden that needs constant attention. You must actively nurture the good elements and "prune" the negative influences to keep it healthy.
- Establish core values that are action-oriented (e.g., "Blow people's minds") rather than passive, single words, as this makes them more practical to implement daily.
- The first and most important step in becoming a better leader is to work on yourself. Tend to your own "garden" of personal faults and opportunities for growth.
- Trust is forged in adversity. Proving your loyalty and reliability during a crisis can build the foundation for a strong and lasting business partnership.
- Don't rely on your own opinions. Create a system to test everything—from products to processes—and let customer feedback and data guide your decisions.
- Be prepared to pivot. The forced change to a service-window model during COVID unexpectedly maximized their kitchen's potential and boosted revenue.
- Integrity can be more valuable than capital. You can earn opportunities, like a business partnership with no buy-in, through demonstrated hard work and character.
- Approach leadership with the philosophy that "we're all just walking each other home." Seeing your team and customers as fellow travelers on a shared journey fosters empathy and unity.
Tags: Business Growth, Entrepreneurship, Business Leadership, Company Culture, Data Driven
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